In tight labor markets like today's, companies must aggressively compete for top-notch talent. And they're willing to pay lucrative six-figure salaries to win that war.

Dallas-Fort Worth ranks seventh nationally this month for the number of available jobs paying $100,000 or more, according to career site Ladders. There are nearly 167,000 high-paying jobs up for grabs in the nation's top 15 markets.

Cities ranking ahead of Dallas all have higher costs of living, which means companies typically must pay more for skilled workers.

In Dallas-Fort Worth, the region's premier hospital, UT Southwestern, leads the way with 345 available high-paying jobs this month. That total far outnumbers KPMG's 155 openings, the second highest in North Texas.

"The trajectory for Dallas-Fort Worth as a career destination city for highly talented and highly paid health care professionals is going nowhere but up," said Susan Salka, president and CEO of health care staffing firm AMN Healthcare, which recently made Cypress Waters its national co-headquarters "for just that reason."

"Dallas is the shining gem of the current American jobs market," said Ladders CEO Marc Cenedella. "The city has impressive amounts of tech openings and a breadth of other high-profile businesses. ... Dallas is a fierce competitor sure to make the top five very soon."

Besides technology and health care talent, D-FW companies also are looking for rainmakers — sales and business development professionals who can bring in business. Those positions are the second most sought-after locally.

Nationally, the companies with the most $100,000-plus jobs this month include many familiar tech names. But one company on the list — Banfield Pet Hospital — might surprise you. Banfield is the largest privately owned veterinary practice in the U.S. and operates many of its 800 clinics in PetSmart stores.